I. General Information
School Name: Mapes Elementary School
School District: SD#91 Nechako Lakes
Inquiry Team Members:
Jennifer MacDonald: jmackdonald@sd91.bc.ca
Samantha Dargis: jdargis@sd91.bc.ca
Anne Geddes: ageddes@sd91.bc.ca
Deb Koehn: dkoehn@sd91.bc.ca
Inquiry Team Contact Email: dkoehn@sd91.bc.ca
II. Inquiry Project Information
Type of Inquiry: SRL Case Study
Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Primary (K-3), Intermediate (4-7)
Curricular Areas Addressed: Other: Outdoor learning embedded in Self Regulation Skills
Focus Addressed: Indigenous understandings (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Core competencies (for example, critical thinking, communication, problem solving), Growth mindset, Land, Nature or Place-based learning, Social and emotional learning, STEM / STEAM
In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? We hoped to shift students’ regulated behaviours (displayed consistently while learning outside) into the indoor classroom environment through connected strategies used both inside and while students were in cross-graded, cross-curriculum learning groups outside.
III. Spirals of Inquiry Details
Scanning: We noticed that students needed more support with Self Regulation skills while indoors, but when they were learning outdoors they were able to demonstrate decision making and made wise choices. As well, we noticed that students were much more willing to act in cooperative and collaborative ways, sharing their own knowledge and encouraging others through purposeful interactions. Our older students are always kind, supportive and interact as community leaders with the younger students, but interaction amongst themselves was often harmful in nature. We hoped that creating cross age groups focused on cross-curriculum learning, that the students would begin to see each other in a more wholesome, supportive lens. This inquiry focused on several, if not all, of the First Peoples Principles of Learning, and embedded many of the aspects of the OECD principles of learning. By moving the students outside, with teachers collaboratively planning the learning and students collaboratively learning together, we hoped to move into a community of learners.
Focus: We hoped that students would realize their potential as community members, learners and leaders of the learning.
Hunch: Students brought inappropriate, but learned communication skills into the classroom. In the past these interactions may have been hidden, or accepted as a way of being.
New Professional Learning: We were fortunate to be part of the SRL group and relied heavily upon the researchers for guidance and direction. There are only three teachers in this small rural school. A number of outdoor resources were used – and a number of different resources were used, not in their entirety, but chapters were referred to. As well, our NOIIE SRL group met monthly. We presented at a Learning Burst and at the NOIIE Symposium, and grounded our thinking in the First Peoples Principles of Learning.
Taking Action: We planned all activities as a team. And we committed to a minimum of once a week, whole afternoon spent outside, irregardless of weather conditions. We created a strong team – interdependent on each other. We were honest about the challenges we were encountering and entered into monthly discussions with open hearts and open minds. We discussed roadblocks as opportunities. We involved students in activities and created opportunities for learning that did not exist previously. We took advantage of our place – and place became the teacher.
Checking: We did see a noticeable improvement in our older students’ interactions with each other, and they were brought into a space that allowed them to develop positive, relational interactions with the educators. The quality of student interactions improved overall, and many parents communicated that their students felt more positive about school experiences.
Reflections/Advice: We learned that our learning needs to consistently support our goals and that we need to make the goals visible to the students, so they can understand ways that they contribute. Students need to know what is expected; strategies and skills need to be learned and there needs to be adequate reflection time so students can make sense of relational learning.